Fire-escape.



A. KWIATKOWSKI.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 19, 1914. 1, 1 1 3,65 1 Patented Oct. 13,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N Wiimeaoeo N THE NORRIS PETERS CO4, PHOID-LI'IMO.I WASH'NGTON. D. C

A. KWIATKOWSKI.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1914.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

x R aw flZaxa/nderlfwm 5/10 wska L/Wo" THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTU-LITHCL. WASHINGTON. D. C.

A. KWIATKOWSKI.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 19, 1914.

1,113,651. Patented Oct.13,1914.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca. PHOm-Ll'fua, WASHING In". D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALEXANDER KWIATKOWSKI, or InnLE'rowN, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

' Specification of Letters Patent; 7

a lication filed May 19,1914. Serial at. 839,528.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, ALEXANDER Kwm'r- KOWSKI, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fire escapes.

I An object of the invention is to providea fire escape of the portable type which may be;

mounted upon a vehicle and moved to the desired location for use.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a portable fire escape consisting of plurality of telescopingtubes with manu ally'controlled operating means to cause the same to be distended, with the outer end. of the outer tube suitably positioned as desired.\ With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combina'- tion and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown the preferred embodiment ofmy invention and to which reference is had herein by like characters denoting corresponding parts throughout the several views :--F igure 1 is a side elevational view of the device. Fig. 2 is a top. plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device withthe telescoping tubes partially elevated and distended, with a motor shown in dotted lines for distending the tubes. Fig. 4 is a view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan view partly in section of a portion of the telescoping tubes, illustrating the manner of distending the same. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view. of the lower end of the tube illustrating the cushioning means with the exit opening. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VIIVII of Fig. 5, and,

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the rope connection with the tubes. 1

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates in general the vehicle for supporting a plurality of telescoping tubes and comprises more specifically a pair of side bars 11 connected at their rear ends to the bracket 12 and at their forward ends to the bracket 13, the bracket 13 being suitably supported on the hicle. Pivotally-connected as at 15 to the upright arms of the rear bracket 12 is a substantially U-shaped frame 16 closed at its outerend as at 17 and provided with an opening in the end 17 in which is mounted a sheave 18. The frame 16 is provided ad jacent its outer. end in one of the side rails thereofwith an opening 19, for purposes to be later described, while the same rail has mounted; in the bracket arm 20 carried adjaoent theinner endthereof, a reel 21, the

shaftofthe reel being provided with a suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism 22 and op.

erating handle 23.

)There is provided a plurality of telescoping tube sections 24 which constitute the means of escape or passage for persons making their exit from a burning building, the outlet for the telescoping tubes being in the lowertube and indicated at 25. These outlets 25 are lateral openings in the inner tube, suitable platforms 26 being carried by the .lower tube and positioned adjacent the exit openings 25. Means are provided at the lower end o-f-the inner tube in the form of a cushion toresist the force of. a person descending in the tube and consists of the coil spring 27 of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tube 24 and covered by the plate 28. The lower tube is pivotally-connected as at29 to the upright arms ofthe front bracket 13while the other end of the tube sections is supported upon the rear bracket 12 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1'. Each of the tube sections 24 is provided at the outer endthereof with a collar 30, each of said collarscarrying oppo- 31 for the sup and 4 while the reel 36 is positioned on the shaft 34 intermediate of the bracket arms 33. Pawl and ratchet mechanism 37 is mounted upon the shaft 34 and holds the same in adjusted position, the shaft being operated by the crank handle 38. Ropes or cables 39 are connected at one end to the inner ends of the Patented Oct. 13, 1914..

fifth wheel 14 at the front end of the veas at'43 and has its other end wound upon 'passingthrough grooves 41 formed in the sides of the tube sections 24, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7, these ropes 39 passing over the sheaves 32 and connected at the point 42 to the rope 39 of the adjacent tube section.

These ropes or cables 39' are provided at each side of the tube sections 24 and passing over the sheaves 32 as clearly shown, with the lower ropesections 39 wound upon the rails 35. A second rope or cable 42 is connected to the outer end of the outer tube section 24 the reel 36 in a direction opposite to the winding of the cables 39 upon the reels 35. A cable 44 is connected at one of its ends as at'45' to the outer end of the inner tube section and passes over the sheave 18 through the opening 19 in the side rail 16' of' the frame and wound at its other end upon the reel 21.

The operation of the device is as foilows :Any suitable propelling means may be providedfor the carriage 10; the same may be in the form of an automobile or may be drawn by horses and when moved to the location for use, the rope 44 is wound upon the reel 21 which will cause the tube sections 24 to be elevated at their forward ends as shown inFig. 3, with the entrance platform 46 to the outermost tube section 24 positioned adjacent the point of exit-0f a building. The tube sections are held in elevated position by the pawl and ratchet mechanism 22 before described; Should it be desired to extend the tube sections to increase the length of the chute, the reels 35 are operated by the crank handle 38 to wind thereon the cables 39. It isto be noted that the first telescoping tube section 24 is moved out wardly as shown in Fig. 3 until the slack in the cable 39 is taken up and wound. upon the reel 35, after which the second cable 39 will begin to remove the next tube section 24 from its telescoping section, and in a like manner be distended until the slack in the operating cable therefor is taken up. Each of the adjacent tube sections is moved outwardly with a successive movement, that 15, when the slack in the operating cables 39 1s taken up, its tube section begins its outward vmovement. When it 1s desn'ed to retract the tube sections or cause the same to telescope to a closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pawl and ratchet mechanism 37 is released and the crank 38 operated in a reverse direction to wind thereon the cable 42 connected tothe outermost tube section which will cause the tube section to telescope. A person entering the tube sections from the platform 46 will have a gradual descent therein, while the velocity of descending movement is dlmimshed by engage- .ment with the cover 28 for the cushioning spring 27, there of course being attendants at the lowermost tube adjacent the openings '25 to assist the exit of the occupants. 1 shown in Fig. 3", a motor 47 may be utilized as a power means for distending the tube sections in lieu of the hand crank 38.

lVhile I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 do not wish to confine myself to the exact details of construction as shown, as various forms, modifications and arrangement of the parts may be had without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is In a fire escape, a plurality of telescoping tubes carried by a vehicle, the opposite side of each tube being longitudinally grooved, a rope connected to'the inner end of each tube and lying within said groove, each rope being connected at its other end to the adjacent rope, a reel supported on the lower tube, and having the rope connected to the adjacent tube wound thereon, and a rope connected to the outer end of the outer tube wound upon the reel at its other end.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER KVVIATKOVVSKI.

Witnesses:

Jos. WV. Koimnowsnr, W. A. SIENKV.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

